Combinatory effects of PBDEs and 17β-estradiol on MCF-7 cell proliferation and apoptosis

In the present work, we analyzed whether polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) (47, 99, 100 and 209) interfere with the effect of 17β-estradiol on the proliferation and apoptosis of the MCF-7 cell line. MCF-7 cells were cultured in DMEM without phenol red; upplemented with 5% charcoal-treated fetal bovine serum for 3 days with 10 nM 17β-estradiol; with 0.1 μM, 0.5 μM or 1 μM of the tested PBDE congeners; or with both 17β-estradiol and a congener. Cell proliferation was determined by measuring BrdU incorporation, and cell apoptosis was measured by caspase-9 activity. No PBDE congener had an effect on basal cell proliferation, but they all significantly decreased basal caspase-9 activity. An additive anti-apoptotic activity and ability to induce cell proliferation was observed in the presence of 17β-estradiol.